Projectile launcher



Nov. 26, 1963 J. w. MOCOLLUM PROJECTILE LAUNCHER Filed May 5, 1960 Jack W M9 calla/W ATTORNEY United States Patent on 3,111,938 Patented Nov. 26, 1963 3,111,938 v PROJECTILE. LAUNCHER Jack W. M cCollum, Rte. 2, Box 85, Randleman, N.C. Filed May 5, 1960, Ser. No. 27,127 11 Claims. (Cl. 124-19) The present invention relates to toy guns or projectile launchers for discharging flexible and expandib'le rings in a directed path of travel utilizing the energy of the ring for trajectory of the ring.

Small particles have been projected from many types of small guns and launchers by the use of springs and elastic bands for target games with considerable accuracy and minimum danger. This invention contemplates the use of a projectile or missile in the form of a soft rubber expandible ring which will be propelled by means of the energy stored within the ring from a launching barrel with suflicient force and accuracy to be suitable for use In target practice.

It is an objective of this invention to provide a toy gun in which rubber rings may be projected at targets by utilizing the fence of contraction of the expanded rings and to guide the rings in flight.

Another objective of this invention is propulsion of a ring projectile utilizing the energy stored within the projectile.

Still another objective of this invention is to provide a launching device in which flexible, resilient and expandible rubber rings may be individually discharged at a target utilizing the energy stored within the ring that is released as the ring contracts during discharge from the launcher.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a relatively inexpensive toy gun for children which will be safe to use, simple to load and fire, one which requires a minimum number of moving elements, and will be capable of discharging a projectile silently.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, with a partial longi tudinal sectional portion removed from the medial portion of the ring launching pistol of the present invention, in the loaded condition;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the forward portion only, in the ring launching position;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line- 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal view of a modified ring launching barrel;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 77 of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of another type of flexible ring projectile for use with a projectile launcher.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a housing 10 that may be made of some suitable plastic material or aluminum in which there is a pistol grip 11 and a pair of sights 12 and 13 mounted on the rearw-ardly tapering body portion 14 of the housing .10. A trigger 15 is pivotally mounted on the trigger pin 16 within the body portion of the housing. A suitable trigger opening 17 is provided in the body portion 14 and pistol grip 11 to permit the mounting of the trigger and movement thereof.

The forward section 18 of the housing is provided with an enlarged rim 19 which extends circumferenti-ally about the forward section of the housing with the inner portion thereof being provided with a circumferential barrel receiving recess 20. It has been found desirable for the simplicity of manufacture of the housing to mold the housing of two allochiral sections that are assembled together and retained in position by means of the pin 16 and the resilient ring 21 supported adjacent to the 19 of the housing.

The launching barrel 2 2 is formed in two allochiral sections with a ring actuating mechanism cavity 23 therein. The rear portion 24 of the barrel is suitably recessed circumferentially to form the rim retaining recess 25 and the barrel supporting rim 2-6 for retention in the housing recess Zil. The barrel is retained in position on the housing 10 through the interconnection of the rim 2 6 within the recess 20 and this interconnection is maintained by means of the resilient ring 21.

A circumferential projectile ring retaining platform 27 is formed by the depression intermediate the barrel for retaining a number of expanded flexible rings or missiles 2-8 thereon in the launcher loaded condition, as shown in FIG. 1. The forward section of the barrel beyond the ring limit stop or shoulder 29 tapers longitudinally and slightly conoavely, in the convergent portion 30 of the barrel that leads directly to the cylindrical portion 31 from which the ring is ultimately discharged. It has been found desirable to maintain the cylindrical portion 31 of substantially the same diameter as the internal diameter of the ring to be discharged. In those instances where flight of the missile in a transverse direction is desired, the removable pin 32 is positioned adjacent tothe terminal end 33 of the cylindrical portion 31 of the barrel within an opening 34 therefor. However, normally the pin 32 is omitted as the rings are projected longitudinally in a straight path of travel.

The converging portion 30 of the barrel is provided with a plurality of substantially radially projecting fins 35 which extend from the surface 36 of the barrel. It has been :found desirable to reduce at least some of the surface contact as the individual rings contract during movement along the tapering surf-ace of the barrel.

The ring actuating mechanism cavity 23 in the barrel communicates with the axial passageway 37 through which the trigger mounted actuating plunger 38 is guidably mounted at the end of which is a substantially arrow-shaped cam 39 for parting or pivoting the ring releasing or firing pins 40 and 41 each of which is pivotally mounted at one end of each of the pins 42 and 43 retained in the recess 23. The free ends 44 and 45 of the pins 40 and 41 are provided with openings 46 to receive and retain therein the ends of a coiled spring 47 for normally urging the pins 40 and 41 in the loaded or retracted position as shoum in FIG. 1. The tree ends of the pins are each provided with an inclined camming surface that will select a single elastic ring 28, expand it and permit the missile to roll from the camming surface directly to the enlarged portion of the barrel above and out of engagement with the limit stop or shoulder at the forward end of the launching platform 27. The forward or free ends 44 and 45 will project from the interior of the recess 23 through opposed openings 49 and 50 that are provided in the barrel at the launching platform.

The individual rings 28, preferably made of a highly resilient rubber or other suitable material that is highly elastic, Without permanently deforming, preferably having a circular cross-section and may be mounted and retained on the launching platform by being rolled indiv1dually on the barrel so as to expand from a diameter initially approximately the external diameter of the cylindrical portion of the barrel. The expanded rings are retained on the launching platform in their expanded condition storing energy or flight upon contraction.

Upon pivoting the trigger 15 the plunger 38 will be moved forward and the cam 39 will urge the ring releasmg members 40 and 41 to pivot outwardly against the action of the spring 47. In the forward firing position, the ring releasing members will expand the forward ring 28 thereby presenting it to the tapered barrel and the ring will roll from the carnming surface over the converging surface 30 of the barrel as the ring progressively contracts for ultimate discharge from the cylindrical end of the barrel toward the target. Upon release of the trigger, the spring 47 will urge the spring releasing members to the original position as shown in FIG. 1 forcing the plunger 38 rearwardly at which time the next ring will be advanced along the inclined surface of the loading platform against the limit stop or shoulder 29 of the barrel preparatory to firing. Insome applications, the loading platform may be slightly recessed so that the rings 28 are biased forwardly for discharge. A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated 11'1 FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein the barrel 52 is of a modified configuration with the other elements constituting the firing mechanism, the loading platform and the actuating mechanism being substantially identical to that described for FIGS. 1 and 2. The barrel 52 is substantially conical lIl shape with the surface thereof being slightly convex somewhat resembling the ogive of a bullet. The surface of the barrel 52 is provided with short substantially radial fins 53. It will be appreciated that the radial fins may be modified to form and simulate spiral rifling on the surface of the barrel. The end 54 of the barrel 52 has a relatively blunt nose. Although the barrel of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be solid, the interior of the barrel 52 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 through the interior of the barrel shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is hollow. The other elements and components shown in FIG. 6 for the modified embodiment are similar in operation and construction as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, therefore, the reference characters have been duplicated and primed to correspond to those of FIGS. 1 and 2..

The rings 28 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 are generally solid throughout their extent. However, a modified form of ring 57 is illustrated in FIG. 8 in which there is a number of spaced apart openings 58 therein to lighten the ring and modify the length of flight.

Obviously many modifications and variations may be made to the ring firing mechanism, the rings and the ring launching barrel without departing from the spirit and concept of this invention and the use of mechanical equivalents is contemplated Within the purpose of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ring discharging launcher comprising a housing having a ring discharging means mounted therein, a ring-launching and guiding barrel supported on the housmg, said barrel having a lonigtudinally tapering external surface terminating in a discharge end and a ring-retaining and loading plat-form intermediate the barrel length, said loading platform having a larger cross-sectional area than the discharge end of .the barrel, a flexible ring having an internal diameter in the relaxed condition less than the cross-sectional area of said loading platform rcleasably supported in expanded condition on said platform whereby upon actuating said ring discharging means positions said flexible expanded ring from the platform. to the barrel for discharge therealong as the ring contracts from an expanded condition.

2. A projectile launcher for rings comprising a housing having a handle and a pivotally supported trigger mounted therein, a longitudinally extending outwardly converging projectile launching barrel supported in the housing, said barrel having substantially outwardly spaced apart fins and a circumferentially recessed ring-loading platform communicating with the launching barrel, and an expandible ring releasably and concentrically supported on the launching platform in expanded condition, and trigger operable means for presenting the ring to the launching barrel for discharge therefrom as the ring contracts from an expanded condition.

3. A launcher for discharging a flexible ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a ring-launching barrel having a substantially frusto-conical surface with projecting fins thereon, a trigger-operated ring actuating mechanism, an expandible ring, means on the barrel for releasably retaining said ring in position thereon in expanded condition, whereby upon actuation of the trigger mechanism the expandible ring will be positioned on the barrel for launching therefrom as the ring contracts from an expanded condition.

4. A launcher gun for discharging a rubber-like ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a ring launching barrel having a tapering configuration, an expandible ring, means on the barrel for concentrically and releasably retaining said expandible ring thereon, trigger-actuated flexible ring firing means for expanding the ring for positioning it on the barrel to be launched therefrom.

5. A launcher gun for discharging a ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a ring-launching barrel having a tapering substantially frusto-conical external configuration, a flexible ring concentrically retained on said barrel in expanded condition, a trigger-actuated mechanism for expanding a ring for presentation to the barrel whereby the ring will be propelled therefrom as the ring contracts from an expanded condition along said barrel.

6. A launcher for discharging an expandible ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a ring-launching barrel having a substantially conical configuration and means thereon for concentrically and releasably supporting an expandible ring, and means for releasing said ring for travel along the barrel for discharge therefrom.

7. A launcher for discharging an expandible ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a trigger mounted in the housing, a trigger-actuated ring releasing means, a ring-launching barrel having a gradual taper supported in the housing retaining the ring actuating means, an expandible ring concentrically and releasably mounted on the barrel in expanded condition, said barrel having means thereon for supporting a plurality of expandible rings.

8. A launcher for discharging an elastic ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a ring-launching converging barrel supported by the housing, an expandible ring, said barrel having means for concentrically retaining said ring thereon in expanded condition, and means for releasing said ring for travel along the barrel for discharge therefrom as the ring contracts from an expanded condition.

9. A launcher for discharging an elastic ring comprising a housing having a pistol grip, a ring-launching barrel having an outwardly tapering barrel supported in the housing, an expandible ring, said barrel having means for concentrically retaining said ring thereon in the launcher loaded position with said ring being supported on said barrel in expanded condition, and means for releasing said ring for travel along the barrel for discharge therefrom as the ring contracts from an expanded condition.

10. A launcher for expelling an elastic ring therefrom comprising a housing, a. ring-launching longitudinally converging barrel mounted on the housing, an elastic projectile ring, said barrel having a loading platform intermediate the length thereof for retaining said elastic ring concentrically thereon, in an expanded condition, and means for presenting said ring from the platform to the barrel for discharge therefrom as the ring contracts from an expanded condition on the barrel.

11. A launcher for discharging elastic rings comprising a housing having a pistol grip and a converging ring-launching barrel, an elastic ring, said barrel having means for concentrically retaining a plurality of elastic rings thereon in expanded condition, means for releasing an individual ring from the barrel ring retaining means to be discharged from the barrel as the ring contracts from an expanded condition therealong.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A RING DISCHARGING LAUNCHER COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A RING DISCHARGING MEANS MOUNTED THEREIN, A RING-LAUNCHING AND GUIDING BARREL SUPPORTED ON THE HOUSING, SAID BARREL HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY TAPERING EXTERNAL SURFACE TERMINATING IN A DISCHARGE END AND A RING-RETAINING AND LOADING PLATFORM INTERMEDIATE THE BARREL LENGTH, SAID LOADING PLATFORM HAVING A LARGE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THAN THE DISCHARGE END OF THE BARREL, A FLEXIBLE RING HAVING AN INTERNAL DIAMETER IN THE RELAXED CONDITION LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID LOADING PLATFORM RELEASABLY SUPPORTED IN EXPANDED CONDITION ON SAID PLATFORM WHEREBY UPON ACTUATING SAID RING DISCHARGING MEANS POSITIONS SAID FLEXIBLE EXPANDED RING FROM THE PLATFORM TO THE BARREL FOR DISCHARGE THEREALONG AS THE RING CONTRACTS FROM AN EXPANDED CONDITION. 